UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ENDORSES TACO BELL BOYCOTT!

May 8th, 2004

The United Methodist Church, at their General Conference in Pittsburgh last week, voted to join the boycott against Taco Bell, following the recommendations of the Committee on Church and Society. The Committee voted 99 to 4 to recommend support of the boycott. The full Conference voted 846 to 6 to support the Taco Bell boycott.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers deeply appreciates the support of the United Methodist Church, which counts over 8 million members nationally! We also thank the strong support of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the National Farm Workers Ministry — both long-time endorsers and active participants in the boycott — that took an leading role in presenting the campaign to the General Conference. We look forward to working with our friends in the United Methodist Church both here in Florida and across the country for a long-overdue resolution to this struggle for social justice.

We’d also like to recognize the members of Notre Dame’s Progressive Student Association, whose courageous and determined efforts to educate their Administration on the sweatshop conditions in the fields of Taco Bell’s tomato suppliers — efforts that have included over 100 students fasting over the past month — appear to be bearing fruit.

HIGHLIGHTS

What they're saying about the Taco Bell Victory

US Congressional Hispanic
Caucus: "This is a truly historic agreement,
marking perhaps the
single greatest advance for farm workers since the early
struggles of the United Farm Workers. To the the workers
and organizers of CIW, we express our deepest gratitude
for their determined work for their own dignity and
their historic contribution to advancing the cause of
labor rights.”

Former US President/Nobel
Laureate Jimmy Carter: “I commend the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
for their principled leadership in this very important
campaign. I am pleased Taco Bell has taken a leadership
role to help reform working conditions for Florida farmworkers
and has committed to use its power to effect positive
human rights change. I now call on others in the industry
to follow Taco Bell’s lead to help the tomato
farmworkers.”

Tom Morello, former guitarist
for Rage Against the Machine: "Today the Immokalee
farmworkers struck a blow
for dignity and human rights in the workplace and received
the long overdue raise they have been fighting for.
This is a major victory for the workers and demonstrates
that by standing up and standing together, we can overturn
any injustice. By standing up and standing together,
we can change the world."

Congressman John Lewis (D-GA): "This is a great victory for the champions of social
justice and equality in America and around the world. The cour- ageous men and women of the
Coalition of the Immokalee Workers prove that standing
strong in the struggle can remove the greatest obstacles,
even the resistance of a goliath in corporate industry.
This victory once again confirms that the methods of
nonviolence can win deep and lasting change in the most
powerful institutions of the world, in American government
and in corporate conglomerates. I applaud all the Coalition
workers who struggled and suffered for years to win
greater equality for American workers."

Congresswoman Barbara Lee
(D-CA): "Yum
Brands acceptance of your demands is a great achievement
and hopefully only a first step in a widespread awakening
to the impacts of corporate policies... It is only through
the strength and courage of those few who are willing
to stand against insurmountable odds and incalculable
risk that true change can be wrought. Your work to end
modern day slavery reminds us all that there is still
much to be done to end injustice both at home and abroad!